One of Venice's Best Rooftops Returns as a Breezy Greek Hangout With Unbeatable Views
The prime rooftop of Venice's Hotel Erwin has been remolded into Kassi Venice Beach, opening on Friday, July 4, with a tight menu of Greek-inflected mezze, grilled skewers, and salads, plus a view of the Pacific Ocean. Coming from the Wish You Were Here group, which operates Elephante in Santa Monica and Belles Beach House in Venice, Kassi first opened in West Third Street back in 2019 before closing and resurfacing in Las Vegas's Virgin Hotels. There, it morphed into more of a party-like Italian American restaurant that befits Vegas. But the menu will return to its original Greek and Eastern Mediterranean flavors in Venice, operating from lunch to fairly late.
On the rooftop, umbrellas encircle an elevated patch of clipped greenery, with lounge seating and dinner tables accommodating 185 diners at a time. Swaying palm trees and the shoreline offer a real island vibe as skateboarders, cyclists, and performing dancers thrive on the concrete expanse just a few blocks away on the Venice Boardwalk. Takes on Greek classics like a spanakopita quesadilla, fried zucchini chips, crispy saganaki with Fresno chile jam, and a cucumber-tomato-feta salad comprise the starters; familiar mezzes like hummus and tzatziki come with za'atar-sprinkled flat bread. Five-ounce portions of skewers feature lamb meatballs with pomegranate molasses, beef tenderloin in red chermoula, and harissa honey chicken. The food options are limited enough that decision fatigue shouldn't settle in.
Kassi is as much about the drinks as it is panoramic views. Shaken sippers like the Oracle of Delphi mix tequila with watermelon, mazzura, and cucumber, while draft cocktails like honeydew thyme paloma should help the bartenders churn out boozy drinks. White and red wines lean toward Greek origins, while Bondi Brewing Co. lager hints at Mathers' and Lim's upbringings in Australia. Wish You Were Here, founded by Nick Mathers and helmed by chef Thomas Lim, seems to do these breezy spaces well, given the success of Belles and Elephante, the latter of which has expanded into other states like Arizona. Kassi should fit seamlessly into the Venice restaurant milieu, a relaxed, easygoing Greek restaurant with stunning vistas for days.
Kassi Venice Beach is open Sunday to Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and until 12 a.m. Thursday to Saturday; it's located at 1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice, CA, 90291, with reservations on OpenTable . Tickets to the opening July 4 party, also available on OpenTable, cost $40 each. See More:
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